Process and apparatus for cracking oil



June 26, 1928. 1 1,674,827

w. R. HOWARD PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CRACKING on.

Original Filed Sept. 17

Patented June 26, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

WILLIAM B. HOWARD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNI- VERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OIL.

Application filed September 17, 1920, Serial No. 410,808. Renewed April 24, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for treating petroleum oil and in the present application, the invention relates more particularly to the cracking of petroleum oil to produce therefrom gasoline or gasoline like bodies.

In carrying out the invention, the oil under treatment is forcibly delivered into the still by means of a steam operated pump immersed in the body ofthe oil.

The single figure of the drawings shows a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section with parts broken away and shown in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, 1 desi ates the furnace in which is mounted stil 2 of the shell or cylindrical type. This still 2 is provided with vapor outlet pipe 3 having control or throttle valve 4 which leads to a water condenser coil 5 seated in water condenser box 6. This condenser coil is connected by pipe 7 to a receiver 8. This receiver 8 is provided with pressure gauge 9 and liquid level gauge 10. It also has liquid draw ofl? 11 controlled by throttle valve 12, gas outlet pipe 13 controlled by throttle valve 14. The raw charging oil is introduced from any suitable source of supply through the heating coil 15 seated in the preheater box 16 which may be heated by means of either steam or hot oil entering through pipe 17 and drawn off through pipe 18. Fresh raw oil passes from top of coil 15 to the pipe 19 leading to the inlet side of a pump 20. Oil passes out of the discharge side of the pump into the body of the still through open end of pipe 21. The pump is operated by steam which enters through pipe 22 and'discharges from the steam chest of the pump into the body of oil in the still through the open end of pipe 23. By means of this arrangement, steam is injected into the body of oil in the still and facilitates the distillation whether a fractional or cracking distillation is taking place. If the oil is being cracked, it may be desirable to maintain a vapor pressure on the Oil of say 100 lbsto the square inch by suitably regulating the valves shown. A differential pressure may be maintained in the system by partially throttling the valve 4. as for example 150 lbs. in the still and 75 lbs. on the condenser and receiver. Inasmuch as the oil is introduced in a heated condltion into the still only a moderate firing will be necessary thus avoiding danger of coking the bottom of the still. The still of course is provided with usual residue drawotl (not shown) and controlled by suitable throttle valve.

[ claim as my invention:

1. A process of treating petroleum oil consisting in feeding oil to a still by means of a steam pump located in the still, preheating the oil before it enters the steam pump, discharging exhaust steam from the pump into the body of the oil in the still and taking off vapors from the still and condensing and collectingthem and maintaining a pressure in excess of lbs. to the square inch on the oil during distillation.

2. A process of treating petroleum oil'con .sisting in feeding oil to a still by means of a steam pump located in the still, discharging exhaust steam from the pump into the body of the oil in the still and taking off vapors from the still and condensing and collecting them and maintaining a pressure in excess of 50 lbs. to the square inch on the oil during distillation.

3. A process of treating petroleum oil consisting in feeding oil to a still by means of a steam pump located in the still, preheating the oil before it enters the steam pump, discharging exhaust steam from thepump into the body of the'oil in the still and taking off vapors from the still andcondensin and collecting them.

4. A process of treating petroleum oil consisting in feeding oil to a still by means of a steam pump located in the still, "discharging exhaust steam from the pump into the body of the oil in the still and taking off vapors from the still and condensing and collecting them.

5. In an apparatus for distilling petroleum oil, the combination with a still of a 6. In an apparatus for distilling petrosteam pump located therein, means for disleum oil, the combination with a still of a charging the exhaust steam from the pump steam pump located therein, means for dis- 10 into the still, means for forcing the oil to be charging the exhauststeam from the pump 5 treated into the still by said pump and means into the still, and means for forcing the for preheating the oil before it enters the oil to be treated into the still by said pump. pump. WILLIAM R- HOWARD. 

